Perrysburg siblings runners-up in national duct tape prom contest

A pair of Perrysburg siblings finished as runners-up in a national contest featuring prom outfits made of duct tape.

Nathanial and Kathryn Dobbs each received $500 and their school received $500 from the Stuck at Prom scholarship contest by Duck brand duct tape.

Siblings Kathryn and Nathanial Dobbs of Perrysburg were top 10 finalists in a national contest featuring prom outfits made of duct tape. Photo Courtesy Liz Cope

The siblings used 40 rolls of duct tape and spent 93 hours making their “Earth, Fire, Water and Air” themed outfits, which they entered in the contest. Nathanial’s suit represented Water and Wind while Kathryn’s dress represented Earth and Fire.

“We’re both very creative people,” Kathryn said. “We pulled many all-nighters to make sure everything was perfect.”

A panel of judges selected by Duck brand chose the 10 finalists based on workmanship, originality, use of color, accessories and use of duct tape. A first-, second- and third-place winner were chosen by online voting. The other seven were runners-up.

Online voting took place June 10 through July 8. Winners were announced July 16.

Kathryn, 21, graduated from Perrysburg High School in 2011. She’s now a sophomore at Bowling Green State University and a member of the Ohio Air National Guard.

Nathanial, 18, graduated from Perrysburg this year and plans to attend BGSU in the fall.

The siblings originally planned to make duct tape outfits for Kathryn’s senior prom, but then she got a date and scrapped the idea. Nathanial had wanted to do it ever since, Kathryn said.

“Three years later I had completely forgotten, but he brought it back up,” Kathryn said. “He had to wear me down a little bit, but I did it because I’m a good sister. He’s my best friend. I’d do anything for him.”

Their outfits got a lot of attention at the dance.

“We were the last people to arrive because we were still sticking stuff on our outfits,” Kathryn said. “Everyone who had already seen our stuff was talking it up before we even got in the room. No one believed anyone in their right mind would actually wear a hot duct tape outfit to prom. When we walked in the door, all eyes were on us. We couldn’t go five minutes without someone asking to take our picture.

“I couldn’t do a lot of dancing because it was really hard to move and because it was so hot,” she added.

Their mom, Liz Cope, said what set their outfits apart from most of the other finalists is they “don’t match, but they flow.”

“They made a conscious decision not to wear identical outfits, but to decide on a theme and then each create their own identity within that theme,” Cope wrote in an email to Toledo Free Press. “Their personalities are absolutely reflected in their individual costumes. Katie’s dress evolves from the fiery core of the earth to the nurturing soil to the grasses, leaves and flowers. It is organized and structured, purposeful yet lighthearted, bohemian and fun. That’s exactly who she is. Nate’s is whimsical. It’s a daydream but full of intricate details and ideas. There is so much going on in his outfit — feathers, scales, swirls, fins — that it takes a minute to grasp everything he did. And that is exactly Nate.”

Regardless of the outcome, Kathryn told Toledo Free Press last month she planned to have fun.

“Even if we don’t win the scholarship it was a great way to bond with Nate,” Kathryn said. “Being away at college I don’t get to see him a lot. We had a ton of fun doing it.”

Perrysburg siblings finalists in national duct tape prom contest

A pair of Perrysburg siblings are finalists in a national contest featuring prom outfits made of duct tape.

Nathanial and Kathryn Dobbs used 40 rolls of duct tape and spent 93 hours making their “Earth, Fire, Water and Air” themed outfits, which they entered in the Stuck at Prom scholarship contest by Duck brand duct tape.

Siblings Kathryn and Nathanial Dobbs of Perrysburg are finalists in a national contest featuring prom outfits made of duct tape. Online voting lasts through July 8. Photo Courtesy Liz Cope

Nathanial’s suit represents Water and Wind while Kathryn’s dress represents Earth and Fire.

“She hand-cut over 300 blades of grass, leaves, flames and flowers, and also made these really cool duck tape ‘vines’ for her waist and hair,” Nathanial explained on the contest’s website. “If you look at the top of her dress you can see she matched the pattern on the flowered tape and that the leaves cover the back and front of her shoulder. She also used tape to create the texture of earth on her skirt and made her corsage.

“I cut about 500 scales, swirls (to represent wind) and feathers which I used on my vest and coat. I created a duck tape tail coat and on one side of the back have a fin and the other more feathers. My pants had swirls along the cuffs and the tuxedo strip up the side. I also made a cummerbund, bow tie and boutonniere.”

The teens’ mom, Liz Cope, said what sets their outfits apart from most of the other finalists is they “don’t match, but they flow.”

“They made a conscious decision not to wear identical outfits, but to decide on a theme and then each create their own identity within that theme,” Cope wrote in an email to Toledo Free Press. “Their personalities are absolutely reflected in their individual costumes. Katie’s dress evolves from the fiery core of the earth to the nurturing soil to the grasses, leaves and flowers. It is organized and structured, purposeful yet lighthearted, bohemian and fun. That’s exactly who she is. Nate’s is whimsical. It’s a daydream but full of intricate details and ideas. There is so much going on in his outfit — feathers, scales, swirls, fins — that it takes a minute to grasp everything he did. And that is exactly Nate.”

A panel of judges selected by Duck brand chose the 10 finalists based on workmanship, originality, use of color, accessories and use of duct tape.

The winning couple, determined by online voting, will be awarded $10,000 each as well as $5,000 for their school.

Cope said she hopes people support the siblings by voting.

“There is tough competition for the top prize. All the outfits took so much time and work,” Cope said. “But for me, if the community voted Katie and Nate the winners, I would feel so blessed and honored that people saw the uniqueness of their creations. That would be absolutely fantastic.”